Ten arrested in Brazil over suspected Olympics 'terror plot'

Brazilian authorities have arrested 10 people suspected of planning terrorist attacks during next month’s Rio Olympics.

Brazil’s Justice Minister Alexandre Moraes, said the group was in the planning stage of an attack and police acted as a preventative measure.

He added that the group was inspired by ISIS and mostly organized online via internet messaging groups such as WhatsApp.

The arrests came a week after a truck massacre in Nice, France, and amid growing fears of a possible attack when the first Olympics to be held in South America kicks off on August 5.

Some 500,000 visitors are expected to travel to Brazil for the Games.

Members of the group had reportedly visited a weapons site in neighbouring Paraguay that sells AK-47 assault rifles, but there was no evidence they acquired any weapons.

“We were monitoring this group and knew exactly what they were doing, who they were. They had already been identified, however, but they crossed a red line and we took the necessary measures,” Defence Minister, Raul Jungmann said.

Security is expected to be extremely tight at the upcoming Rio Olympics.
The military are to begin patrolling sports venues from July 24.

More than 80,000 police and soldiers will patrol Rio streets for the games which end on August 21.

Brazil’s Interim President has called an emergency cabinet meeting following the arrests, the first under Brazil’s tough new anti-terrorism law approved this year.